Mexico

Officially known as the United Mexican States, the country has a population of over 113 million and is the most populous Spanish speaking country in the world. Mexico is also home to many indigenous cultures and languages. After being colonized by Spain in 1521, it gained independence in 1821. The political arena was dominated by one party, the National Revolutionary Party, for 70 years. Social and economic policies varied, with oil sources being exploited to expand the country’s economy and neoliberal policies being implemented. Mexico’s economy collapsed in 1994, the same year that it entered NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). Assistance from the United States was provided to help the country’s economy recover. In the year 2000, a member from a different party won the country’s presidential election, breaking the 70 year rule by the Revolutionary Party. Mexico’s topography is fairly diverse, with deserts, mountain ranges as well as coastal areas. An estimated 60% of the country’s population the country’s population identify as Mestizo, with Indigenous peoples making up approximately 30% of the population. Over 90% speak Spanish, and almost 6% speak Spanish in addition to an indigenous language. Over 80% of the country’s citizens identify as Roman Catholic, constituting the second largest Catholic population in the world after Brazil, with the majority of the remainder of citizens identifying with other Christian denominations. The country has a large urban population, with 78% of the citizens residing in urban areas.The United Nations High Commission for Refugees estimates that there are almost 7,500 refugees and over 5,300 asylum seekers in the world that originate from Mexico. The government’s suppression of rebel movements has also created 160,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). The drug and trafficking trades have left over 60,000 dead since 2006, and organized crime and armed violence have contributed to unstable and unsafe communities. With one of the highest kidnapping rates in the world, many have had to flee to other regions or countries.